Note: All textual references within this article strictly correspond to the
LDS standard works and LDS-authorized literature.
 |
| The Greek word for 'sin'
in the New Testament means "to miss the mark" |
A recent article written by Gerrit W. Gong, an elder of the First Quorum of
the Seventy of the LDS church, addresses "unrealistic expectations of what
perfection is." His
article1 published this July, is entitled, "Becoming
Perfect in Christ." My first question is why exactly this would need to be
addressed at all. LDS elder Gong writes:
The word perfection, however, is sometimes misunderstood to mean never making
a mistake. Perhaps you or someone you know is trying hard to be perfect in this
way. Because such perfection always seems out of reach, even our best efforts
can leave us anxious, discouraged, or exhausted. We unsuccessfully try to control
our circumstances and the people around us. We fret over weaknesses and mistakes.
In fact, the harder we try, the further we may feel from the perfection we seek.
Although I agree with his view, the notion of perfection he describes is different
from the traditional LDS teachings on perfection. And as I continue to review the
LDS gospel, it stuck out to me that perfection is critical because of its role in
salvation. Salvation first requires perfection. This is the teaching found directly
within the scriptures and from LDS leadership on the matter; it is not unrealistic,
incorrect or self-imposed. It is traditionally-taught LDS doctrine. That is why
perfectionism is such an inherent force within the LDS community. That being said,
I feel this raises a few questions. For answers, I look to Christ's words and the
words of the Apostles. To begin:
How then, is perfection a prerequisite for salvation in the LDS gospel?
This depends on what it means to be saved, so take the next natural question
in line:
How am I saved?
You are saved by grace
after all you can do
(
2
Nephi 25:23).
What do we do?
We do not sin, because if we sin, there is no grace (
Moroni
10:32). We cannot be saved in our sins (
Alma
11:37). God cannot allow any sin (
D&C
1:31).
But, humans are imperfect. Don't we still sin in that imperfection?
God
wouldn't command us if it were impossible (
1
Nephi 3:7), so it must be possible to not sin. And if we have sinned, we must
repent.
What does repentance do?
Repentance is not a gift since it merits something:
forgiveness.
2 We cannot commit the same sin again,
we must forsake it (
D&C
58:42-43) or it is not at all true repentance.
3
But what happens if the sin is performed again? Can't we just do our best?
If sin is not forsaken, the sins will return to us again (
D&C
82:7). Again, the forsaking must be permanent.
4
Moreover, it is not sufficient simply that repented sins are forsaken, but the urge
to sin in general must be out of our life.
5 If
we haven't truly repented, then the devil has power over us after death (
Alma
34:35). So it specifically is in
this life, not the next, that we are
to prepare for God (
Alma
34:32). Having a desire not to sin or sincerely trying our best is not good
enough in this continual progression, either.
6We
must live a sinless life, absent of all ungodliness – in both action and urge –
unto the rest of our lives in order for grace to save us. In essence, we must be
perfect. Only then, will we be saved.
7
But isn't the LDS gospel what Jesus and the apostles taught?
Paul gives
a detailed explanation of this in Romans, but also makes similarly clear and decisive
statements as in
Galatians 2:16, "Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the
law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that
we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for
by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified." The LDS gospel does not
exactly give the same message that is given in the gospel of the New Testament: "One
of the most fallacious doctrines originated by Satan and propounded by man is that
man is saved alone by the grace of God; that belief in Jesus Christ alone is all
that is needed for salvation." (Kimball, The Miracle of Forgiveness, pp. 206-207).
Unfortunately, the overwhelming manuscript evidence to the contrary refutes that
notion - not just in 1 gospel account or epistle, but all over the correctly translated
New Testament.
What about righteous works?
"Therefore we conclude that a man is justified
by faith without the deeds of the law." (
Romans
3:28). That means that there is nothing a person can do, even in the Law, to
be justified. It is by faith alone that people are justified. Continuing into
chapter
4, Paul talks about faith (and not works) counting as righteousness: "Abraham
believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness." This directly
contrasts the verse prior, where Paul says that, "if Abraham were justified
by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God." So although Abraham
may have done righteous works, these account for naught. And this makes sense, because
even in the Old Testament, Isaiah speaks for God that "all our righteousness
is as filthy rags…"
Paul continues to explain what he means by a work.
He says "to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt."
A paycheck is not grace. A person
earns a paycheck. Grace is not something
that is earned, but given. Even Abraham received righteousness in his faith prior
to circumcision. The covenant of circumcision came after Abraham was already justified
in the righteousness of his faith. That was the blessing of promise God gave Abraham
in
Genesis 12:2: that righteousness comes by faith (
Romans
4:13). If those are heirs of the world because of the law, then "faith
is made void," and the promise is made of "none effect," that is,
the promise is nullified. Even further, Paul repeats the distinction of grace and
works in chapter
11:6 "And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is
no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is
no more work." So salvation cannot by both grace and works – Paul explains
that they are mutually exclusive. That is, they cannot be mixed. Salvation is either
by works or by grace, but not a combination of both. To be "saved by grace
after all we can do" is in direct conflict with the gospel message Paul preaches
us. If there were plain and precious truths that Paul left out regarding salvation,
then Joseph Smith must have restored this when he restored the gospel.
What does it mean that Christ was a propitiation? (Romans
3:23-26)
"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare
his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance
of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just,
and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus." A propitiation is an atoning
sacrifice. But Christ's sacrifice imparts righteousness to those that have faith
in his atoning blood. It is not about what we can do. He did it all for us on the
cross. Christ speaks his last: "When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar,
he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost." (
John
19:30). "It is finished" is not a difficult translation of Greek/Aramaic
phrase. It means exactly that: it is finished. There is nothing else for
us
to do or earn, but to accept his free gift.
What about James' talk about showing faith by his works?
Because Christ
has saved us, we love to do good works not to earn any righteousness (Paul already
taught us that trying to earn righteousness before God is a worthless endeavor)
but to bring glory to God
because we love Him. James cites the same example
that Paul does of Abraham (
James
2:23), that faith brings righteousness, then goes on to say that a person is
justified by works and faith. So is this a contradiction? No. James is correcting
a distortion of Paul's teaching. James, in his very first verse, is specifically
directing his letter to the Jews, and even more specifically, the Diaspora "The
12 tribes scattered abroad…" He is commanding them to be doers of the word,
not simply hearers, because "faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word
of God." (
Romans10:17).
They need to do, to put their faith into action. Just as much as the love of a spouse
to the other makes them want to do things for the other, so too is the faith of
a person in Christ. Their love for Him cultivates a spirit of action. That is what
the apostle John is talking about in the beginning of his gospel account in
chapter
15; abiding in Christ to bear fruit, which brings glory to God as well as makes
one a disciple. And so, James continues to correct the behavior of the recipients
of his letter. He gives them examples to continue to properly live out their faith,
which has already saved them, and to continue to abide in the love of Christ. This
love and the commandment, given by Christ to love one another, continues in John
15.
What about "be perfect, as our father is perfect?"
The Gospel is the
euangelion (literally, "good news", where we get the root for terms
like evangelical). Being perfect is not exactly good news. Here, knowledge of the
language of the New Testament, Koine Greek (or "Common Greek") can shed
light on such a passage. Thankfully, because we have an over-abundant plethora of
manuscripts for the Bible, this task is possible. Take
Matthew 5:48, "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in
heaven is perfect." The word for perfect is 'telayois' (τέλειος: complete –
as in being fully grown; i.e. maturity, perfect, whole). This is the same type of
perfection that occurs in
James 2:22, "Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works
was faith made perfect?" This perfection and idea of works is not talking about
leading to salvation. This is talking about coming to a mature faith. And not just
a maturity, but an ideal, a wholeness of faith. Again, notice what James does not
say, that faith does not bring salvation. James is continuing the same idea of perfection
as Matthew writes about, which is a maturity of faith that is ripened by loving
works, which have themselves been borne out of saving faith in Christ.
Conclusion: Faith, Salvation, and Seeing God
Although striving to
do God's will and earnestly seeking to glorify Him through good works is a worthy
cause, it does
nothing to change our state of salvation and where we wind
up after death. Our trust in Christ accepts the gift of salvation. As Paul writes
in
Ephesians 2:8-10, "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not
of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For
we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath
before ordained that we should walk in them." And as John writes in his gospel
account a
Dismisst
11:40, "Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest
believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?" Truly, this is the good news
of the gospel - it's not at all about anything we can do - but that his loving atoning
sacrifice completed it all for us. "Then said they unto him, What shall we
do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This
is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent."(
John
6:28-29)
References
